BEVERAGE

Hot Cinnamon Apple Brandy Cider

Ingredient
1/2 gallon fresh apple cider

1 cup apple brandy (optional)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pinch salt

10 thin strips orange zest

10 small cinnamon sticks

Add all ingredients to list

Combine apple cider, apple brandy, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and salt in a pot
over medium-high heat. Simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes.
Pour apple cider mixture into heat-proof mugs. Twist orange zest strips between your fingers to release the essential oils; drop 1 into each mug.
Add 1 cinnamon stick to each mug.

Hot Buttered Apple Cider

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) bottle apple cider

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Add all ingredients to list

In slow cooker over low heat, cook apple cider with maple syrup for 20 minutes or until steaming hot.
In a small bowl, combine butter, nutmeg and allspice. Mix well.
Pour cider into mugs and top with a teaspoon of spice butter.

Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix

Cooktime: 15 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Amount Ingredient
12 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon corn starch

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate or semi-, roughly chopped

12 cup cocoa powder any kind you like

14 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds from a tiny segment of fresh vanilla bean

18 teaspoon fine sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon kosher

Ingredients for Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix

Parisian Hot Chocolate
Cooktime: 25 minutes
Makes 6 servings
Amount Ingredient
14 cup cocoa powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

14 teaspoon salt

1 quart whole milk

10 ounces milk chocolate finely chopped

bittersweet chocolate finely

2 ounces
chopped

Ingredients for Parisian Hot Chocolate

Good Morning Sunshine Smoothie

Makes 4 servings
Amount Ingredient
1 cup frozen mango chunks

1 cup frozen pineapple pieces

1 frozen banana

orange juice fresh squeezed or bottled, more or less as

1 cup
needed

1 cup greek yogurt plain non-fat

1 tablespoon honey

NaN fresh berries Assorted, for topping, optional

Ingredients for Good Morning Sunshine Smoothie

Healthy Blueberry Muffin Smoothie

Amount Ingredient
2 cups milk or Almond Milk

vanilla yogurt or Greek

1 cup
Yogurt, frozen

blueberries fresh or
212 cups
frozen

112 cups old-fashioned oats

2 tablespoons honey

vanilla extract

1 teaspoon

12 teaspoon cinnamon

1 handful ice

Ingredients for Healthy Blueberry Muffin Smoothie

APPETIZER
Mini Shrimp + Grits Appetizer

Amount Ingredient
grits uncooked quick-
12 cup
cooking

112 cups chicken broth

12 teaspoon salt

12 teaspoon black pepper

shredded sharp
1 cup
cheddar cheese

medium shrimp
1 pound
peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon lemon juice

chives old bay

1 tablespoon seasoning, for
garnish

Ingredients for Mini Shrimp + Grits

Appetizer

Smoked & Cucumber Appetizer Recipe with Caper Yogurt

Makes 24 servings
Amount Ingredient
12 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt

1 tablespoon capers chopped

1 tablespoon dill chopped

24 English cucumber 1/4-inch thick, slices

4 ounces smoked salmon cut into 24 pieces

NaN dill for garnish

Ingredients for Smoked & Cucumber Appetizer Recipe with Caper Yogurt

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Appetizer

Amount Ingredient
2 English cucumber large

14 pound smoked salmon chopped

3 tablespoons red onion finely chopped

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

112 tablespoons capers drained

1 pinch black pepper

NaN olive oil 1 Tbsp e.v.

2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped

Ingredients for Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Appetizer

 Cheesy Spinach Pinwheels

Amount Ingredient
1 sheet frozen puff pastry sheets defrosted, such as Pepperidge Farms

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves minced

6 ounces fresh spinach chopped or torn into pieces

NaN pepper Sat &, to taste

112 ounces parmesan cheese freshly & finely grated, I shred mine on the smallest holed side of a box grater

1 ounce feta cheese crumbles

Ingredients for Cheesy Spinach Pinwheels

Holiday Bacon Appetizers

Amount Ingredient
1 package crackers Club

bacon Thin Sliced, or More

1 pound
Depending On Number Of Crackers

NaN grated parmesan cheese

brown sugar Optional Alternative:,

NaN
Instead Of Parmesan Cheese

Ingredients for Holiday Bacon Appetizers

PROTEIN DISH
Menudo

Amount Ingredient
2 pounds tripe ; cut in 1" squares

2 salt

1 cumin

12 black pepper

1412 ounces hominy ; canned

1 pound pork knuckle ; Raw

4 cups garlic ; crushed

4 tablespoons chili powder

Ingredients for Menudo

Pork Afritada

Amount Ingredient
14 cup oil

2 potatoes medium, peeled and cubed

1 carrots large, peeled and cubed

12 green bell pepper seeded and cut into cubes

12 red bell pepper seeded and cut into cubes

 Amount Ingredient
1 onions small, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic peeled and minced

2 pounds pork belly or pork butt, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon fish sauce

15 ounces tomato sauce

2 cups water

NaN salt null

NaN pepper null

Ingredients for Pork Afritada

Chicken Afritada

Amount Ingredient
12 cup vegetable oil

1 onions chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger chopped

1 whole chicken cut into pieces

10 ounces tomato sauce

12 cup soy sauce

12 cup oyster sauce

2 teaspoons garlic salt

Ingredients for Chicken Afritada

Beef Caldereta

Amount Ingredient
1 beef kilo, kenchi or stewing beef, cut into cubes

5 cloves garlic minced

1 onions large, chopped

5 tablespoons cooking oil

2 cups water

112 cups tomato sauce

12 cup liver spread

2 cups coconut milk

Ingredients for Beef Caldereta

The Hirshon Minorcan Lobster Stew – Caldereta De Langosta

Amoun Ingredient
3 pounds lobster female Minorcan, or Caribbean or Maine lobsters

12 cup virgin olive oil extra-

1 spanish onion large, cut into ¼-inch dice

2 plum tomatoes coarsely chopped

2 green cubanelle peppers large, preferred or use green bell peppers, cut into slices

4 garlic cloves thinly sliced

Ingredients for The Hirshon Minorcan Lobster Stew ? Caldereta De Langosta

NaN sea salt null
 Amoun Ingredient
NaN freshly ground black pepper null

bay leaf
1

1 liter stock shellfish, preferred or use the water reserved from the lobsters

NaN roe Reserved, from the lobsters, if they have any

3 garlic cloves cut into thin slices

1 bunch parsley leaves removed and chopped finely

10 almonds toasted

4 saffron threads

12 lemon juiced

14 cup brandy

VEGETABLE DISH
Lentil Vegetable Soup

Amount Ingredient
2 onions small, finely chopped

2 carrots finely chopped

6 potatoes small white, finely chopped

16 ounces brown lentils

1512 ounces roasted tomatoes diced

8 cups vegetable broth or water

2 cups spinach finely chopped

NaN salt

NaN pepper

Ingredients for Lentil Vegetable Soup

Italian Sausage Tin Foil Dinner

Amount Ingredient
4 Italian sausage links uncooked

8 red potato washed

1 cup fresh green beans ends cut

NaN olive oil

salt fennel, or other salt and

NaN
pepper

Ingredients for Italian Sausage Tin Foil Dinner

Herb Sauteed Vegetables

Amount Ingredient
1 teaspoon sea salt

cracked black pepper

NaN
fresh

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon paprika

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon nutmeg

12 lemon

12 teaspoon vegetable oil {or olive oil}

Ingredients for Herb Sauteed Vegetables

Creamy Vegetable Bake

Amount Ingredient
500 grams potatoes cooked and diced

hard boiled eggs peeled and

4
quartered

frozen vegetables Wattie's,

3 cups
Rainbow Mix

herbs can Wattie's Creamy, and

400 grams
Garlic Pasta Sauce

1 cup Edam grated

Ingredients for Creamy Vegetable Bake

Grilled Garlic & Herb Vegetables

Amount Ingredient
NaN garlic null

1 tablespoon olive oil

assorted fresh vegetables green, red

and yellow peppers; new potatoes;
2 pounds yellow squash; zucchini, cut into 1-
inch pieces Save-A-Lot ? 1 ea For
$2.79 thru 06/13

Ingredients for Grilled Garlic & Herb Vegetables

Cereal Bread

Amount Ingredient
1 cup wheat cereal bite size frosted

1 cup brown sugar

12 cup

shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup boiling water

12 ounce active dry yeast

1 cup warm water 110 degrees F/45 degrees C

2 eggs

6 cups bread flour

Ingredients for Cereal Bread

Trix Cereal Flower Cupcakes

Amount Ingredient
NaN cupcakes Chocolate

NaN icing Chocolate buttercream

NaN chocolate Melted

NaN

Trix Cereal

Ingredients for Trix Cereal Flower Cupcakes

Cookie Cereal Marshmallow Treats

Amount Ingredient
4 tablespoons butter

10 ounces marshmallows 1 large bag

6 cups cereal cookie

1 bag chocolate candy White Melting, Coating Wafers

NaN mini chocolate chips

Ingredients for Cookie Cereal

Marshmallow Treats

Baby Cereal Pancakes

Amount Ingredient
1 cup whole wheat flour or 1 1/2 all-purpose flour

12 cup rice cereal baby, straight from the box

12 cup cereal baby oatmeal, straight from the box

1 cup milk or formula, depending upon age

12 cup mashed banana or other mashed fruit of choice

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 eggs

12 cup apple juice or water

Ingredients for Baby Cereal Pancakes

1 dash cinnamon nutmeg, or vanilla, optional

SNICKERS® Chocolate Dream Dessert

Amount Ingredient
1 box chocolate cake mix in two nine inch baking pans

212 cups snickers ® Minis, chopped

378 ounces chocolate instant, prepared with 1? cup milk

8 ounces whipped topping

NaN caramel sauce for garnish

NaN hot fudge topping for garnish

NaN snickers ® Minis, for garnish

 Ingredients for SNICKERS® Chocolate
Dream Dessert

Heavenly Oreo Dessert

Amount Ingredient
1513 ounces OREO® Cookies Double-Stuffed

12 cup butter melted

2 packages chocolate instant pudding 3.9 ounce, each

314 cups cold milk

16 ounces cool whip

8 ounces cream cheese softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Ingredients for Heavenly Oreo Dessert

Easy Mini Desserts
Makes 4 servings
Amount Ingredient
1 box dessert Jell-o no bake, she used Pumpkin Style and Oreo

NaN whipped cream

NaN icing piping bag, or a plastic bag with the corner cut works too

Ingredients for Easy Mini Desserts

Fudge Ice-Cream Dessert

Amount Ingredient
1 box fudge cake mix Betty Crocker? SuperMoist? chocolate

12 cup butter or margarine, melted

3 eggs

1 can hot fudge topping or jar, 16 oz, warmed

2 cups chocolate sandwich cookies chopped creme-filled, 20 cookies

12 gallon vanilla ice cream slightly softened

Ingredients for Fudge Ice-Cream Dessert
 Badminton
SPORT

WRITTEN BY:

 The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica

LAST UPDATED: 1-5-2018 See Article History
Badminton, court or lawn game played with lightweight rackets and a shuttlecock.
Historically, the shuttlecock (also known as a “bird” or “birdie”) was a small cork
hemisphere with 16 goose feathers attached and weighing about 0.17 ounce (5 grams).
These types of shuttles may still be used in modern play, but shuttles made from
synthetic materials are also allowed by the Badminton World Federation. The game is
named for Badminton, the country estate of the dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire,
England, where it was first played about 1873. The roots of the sport can be traced to
ancient Greece, China, and India, and it is closely related to the old children’s
game battledore and shuttlecock. Badminton is derived directly from poona, which was
played by British army officers stationed in India in the 1860s. The first unofficial all-
England badminton championships for men were held in 1899, and the first badminton
tournament for women was arranged the next year.


Susi Susanti (Indonesia) competing for the women's singles title in the 1993 All-England
Championships; Susanti won the title for the third time.ALLSPORT UK/John Gichigi
badmintonAn introduction to the sport of badminton.© Behind the News
The Badminton World Federation (BWF; originally the International Badminton
Federation), the world governing body of the sport, was formed in 1934. Badminton is
also popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and Denmark. The BWF’s first world
championships were held in 1977. A number of regional, national, and zonal badminton
tournaments are held in several countries. The best-known of these is the All-England
Championships. Other well-known international tournaments include the Thomas
Cup (donated 1939) for men’s team competition and the Uber Cup (donated 1956) for
women’s team competition.
Badminton first appeared in the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport in 1972 and
as an exhibition sport in 1988. At the 1992 Games it became a full-medal Olympic sport,
with competition for men’s and women’s singles (one against one) and doubles (two
against two). Mixed doubles was introduced at the 1996 Games.
Competitive badminton is usually played indoors because even light winds affect the
course of the shuttlecock. (Recreational badminton, on the other hand, is a popular
outdoor summertime activity.) The rectangular court is 44 feet (13.4 metres) long and 17
feet (5.2 metres) wide for singles, 20 feet (6.1 metres) wide for doubles. A net 5 feet
(1.5 metres) high stretches across the width of the court at its centre. A clear space of 4
feet (1.3 metres) around the court is needed. Play consists entirely of volleying—hitting
the shuttlecock back and forth across the net without letting it touch the floor or ground
within the boundaries of the court.

badminton: Lin DanLin Dan of China en route to winning the men's singles title at the
2009 world badminton championships in Hyderabad, India.Indranil Mukherjee—
AFP/Getty Images

In international play, athletes compete in best-of-three-games matches. A game is

played to 21 points, provided that the winner has at least a 2-point advantage. If a 2-
point advantage is never reached, the first player or team to score 30 points wins.
Points were only awarded to the serving side until 2006, when the BWF adopted the
“rally scoring” system, under which either side can score at any time.
SCRABBLE
You should have a game board, 100 letter tiles, a letter bag, and four racks.

Before the game begins, all players should agree upon the dictionary that they will use, in case
of a challenge. All words labeled as a part of speech (including those listed of foreign origin, and
as archaic, obsolete, colloquial, slang, etc.) are permitted with the exception of the following:
words always capitalized, abbreviations, prefixes and suffixes standing alone, words requiring a
hyphen or an apostrophe.

Place all letters in the pouch, or facedown beside the board, and mix them up. Draw for first
play. The player with the letter closest to "A" plays first. A blank tile beats any letter. Return the
letters to the pool and remix. All players draw seven new letters and place them on their racks.

GAME PLAY

#1
The first player combines two or more of his or her letters to form a word and places it on the board to
read either across or down with one letter on the center square. Diagonal words are not allowed.

#2
Complete your turn by counting and announcing your score for that turn. Then draw as many new letters
as you played; always keep seven letters on your rack, as long as there are enough tiles left in the bag.

#3
Play passes to the left. The second player, and then each in turn, adds one or more letters to those already
played to form new words. All letters played on a turn must be placed in one row across or down the
board, to form at least one complete word. If, at the same time, they touch others letters in adjacent rows,
those must also form complete words, crossword fashion, with all such letters. The player gets full credit
for all words formed or modified on his or her turn.

#4
New words may be formed by:

 Adding one or more letters to a word or letters already on the board.

 Placing a word at right angles to a word already on the board. The new word must use one of the
letters already on the board or must add a letter to it. (See Turns 2, 3 and 4 below.)
 Placing a complete word parallel to a word already played so that adjacent letters also form
complete words. (See Turn 5 in the Scoring Examples section below.)

#5
No tile may be shifted or replaced after it has been played and scored.

#6
Blanks: The two blank tiles may be used as any letters. When playing a blank, you must state which letter
it represents. It remains that letter for the rest of the game.

#7
You may use a turn to exchange all, some, or none of the letters. To do this, place your discarded letter(s)
facedown. Draw the same number of letters from the pool, then mix your discarded letter(s) into the pool.
This ends your turn.

#8
Any play may be challenged before the next player starts a turn. If the play challenged is unacceptable,
the challenged player takes back his or her tiles and loses that turn. If the play challenged is acceptable,
the challenger loses his or her next turn. Consult the dictionary for challenges only. All words made in
one play are challenged simultaneously. If any word is unacceptable, then the entire play is unacceptable.
Only one turn is lost on any challenge.

#9
The game ends when all letters have been drawn and one player uses his or her last letter; or when all
possible plays have been made

SCORING

#1
Use a score pad or piece of paper to keep a tally of each player's score, entering it after each turn. The
score value of each letter is indicated by a number at the bottom of the tile. The score value of a blank is
zero.

#2
The score for each turn is the sum of the letter values in each word(s) formed or modified on that turn,
plus the additional points obtained from placing letters on Premium Squares.

#3
Premium Letter Squares: A light blue square doubles the score of a letter placed on it; a dark blue square
triples the letter score.

#4
Premium Word Squares: The score for an entire word is doubled when one of its letters is placed on a
pink square: it is tripled when one of its letters is placed on a red square. Include premiums for double or
triple letter values, if any, before doubling or tripling the word score. If a word is formed that covers two
premium word squares, the score is doubled and then re-doubled (4 times the letter count), or tripled and
then re-tripled (9 times the letter count). NOTE: the center square is a pink square, which doubles the
score for the first word.

#5
Letter and word premiums count only on the turn in which they are played. On later turns, letters already
played on premium squares count at face value.

#6
When a blank tile is played on a pink or red square, the value of the word is doubled or tripled, even
though the blank itself has no score value.

#7
When two or more words are formed in the same play, each is scored. The common letter is counted (with
full premium value, if any) for each word. (See Turns 3, 4 and 5 in the Scoring Examples section.)

#8
BINGO! If you play seven tiles on a turn, it's a Bingo. You score a premium of 50 points after totaling
your score for the turn.

#9
Unplayed Letters: When the game ends, each player's score is reduced by the sum of his or her unplayed
letters. In addition, if a player has used all of his or her letters, the sum of the other players' unplayed
letters is added to that player's score.

#10
The player with the highest final score wins the game. In case of a tie, the player with the highest score
before adding or deducting unplayed letters wins.

SCORING EXAMPLES
In the following, the words added on five successive turns are shown in bold type. The scores shown are
the correct scores if the letter R is placed on the center square. In Turn 1, count HORN: in Turn 2, FARM;
in Turn 3, PASTE and FARMS; in Turn 4, MOB, NOT and BE; in Turn 5, BIT, PI and AT.
Table Tennis
Welcome to the techniques page. Within are most of the basic preparations and strokes
necessary to get you started. A few of the more advanced techniques are also discussed.
One may wish to move from top to bottom-from most basic to more advanced, but don't
hesitate to look ahead to get a taste of what's to come.
There is no written substitute for live instruction, so if you are lucky enough to have access
to a club or a skilled acquaintance, then be sure to spend as much time training with them
as possible. Even if such opportunities are hard to come by, we strongly suggest that you
see a skilled instructor or practice partner as soon as you can. A few meetings are better
than nothing at all. This is critical when you are just beginning to develop your game, since
you will be getting off on the best table-tennis foot.
Above all, practice these techniques constantly! Just like any other sport, Table Tennis
demands the utmost in effort from the prospective player. Various practice techniques are
discussed, whether with a partner or alone. Obtaining a regular practice partner early in the
game is a very good way to get better steadily.

Basic techniques

Getting Started
In order to start playing the real sport of table tennis, one requires the proper equipment
and techniques. Although experimentation forms a large portion of one's advancement later
on, in the beginning most everyone needs to learn the basics. Remember, even a wanderer
had to find out how to walk one time or another.

Equipment
For a more detailed discussion of table tennis equipment, visit the equipment page.
If you are just starting out, take stock of your equipment(if any):

 Does the equipment meet legal requirements(in table tennis)?

 Is the equipment in a good enough condition as to not hamper performance(very
important when starting out)?

The paddle can be of any size and weight, from a lollipop to a pizza ladle. It must have one
side of red and one side of black.
The table must be 9 feet long by 5 feet wide, and the surface must be 30 inches from the
floor. A white line divides the table lengthwise, and white lines form the border of the top
surface. The net used must be 6 inches high, spanning the entire table at the middle.
Although not required for most uses(as some nets are 5 feet long), regulations stipulate for
a net to be legal, it must stretch out 6 inches beyond the table on both sides.
The ball can either be orange or white, depending on light conditions and/or personal
preferences. Try to buy the best quality balls possible, even for practice. This will pay off in
the long run. Three-star balls denote top quality...but even there, quality differs between
manufacturers. Cost is a good barometer of quality here, about 1$US each for a
respectable ball. They usually get cheaper in bulk. Good balls last longer and play more
consistently for better practice results.
Try to wear nonreflective clothing, choosing relatively dark solid colors whenever possible.
Wear shoes that allow quick movements of the feet and easy ankle control. Avoid running
shoes or any shoes designed mainly for forward movements.
If you are buying your first equipment, follow these tips:

 Try to buy from an established table tennis dealer if possible, although this means
you will likely be doing the buying over mail. The advantages include knowledgeable
service(not always-check) and a wider selection of quality equipment. If you must
buy from your local sporting goods store(many retailers carry table tennis
equipment), then the section to look would be most likely "games(an unfortunate
 case in the US)" or "racquet sports(more often under games)." Although you get
your equipment quicker, the selection is severely limited and often of "game quality."
Make sure the above guidelines for legal equipment is followed when purchasing.
 When buying paddles, look for wooden rackets with inverted rubber-that is, rubber
with a smooth flat surface, as opposed to the pimples out rubber with little "pips"
jutting out of the surface. The modern game leans toward inverted surfaces.
 Assuming you will be playing with the shakehands grip, racket selection shouldn't be
a problem, as 99.999999% of the retailers in US(Fred Meyer, Sportmart etc..) carry
only shakehands rackets. Penholders will find their respective rackets usually only in
specialized vendors.
 When selecting a table, definitely go for quality. While there is no need to spend over
$500 on one, make sure the table you are buying is legal and durable. Do not store
the table outdoors. Keep the table clean and away from heavy traffic(i.e. store when
not in use).
 Try to only buy three star balls, both for practice and games. The color of balls is left
entirely to the reader's preferences. Orange is the predominant color today, and
many people find it easier to track the color in most lighting conditions, especially
fluorescent.

Pre-Play Preparation
Many people have the misconception that table tennis is just a "game", and therefore is to
be regarded as such, even to the point of not warming up properly before play! If the
"game" in question had been light frisbee, then warming up would not be as much of a
concern simply due to the fact that throwing and retrieving frisbees don't tax the body that
much(usually).
Warming up helps get your body ready for the rapid coordinated moves that make table
tennis such an intensive sport. There are no special or unique exercises; it's just like
warming up before playing any other sport. A light jog, jumpropes, and various stretches
help loosen your muscles and get you "in gear" for optimum performance. When selecting
the types of stretches(proper techniques can be learned from books or knowledgeable
people-don't overdo it!), try to cover all parts of the body, from your neck to the ankles.
When you are done playing, perform cool-down exercises-essentially the same as warm-ups
to gradually improve overall flexibility and fitness.
Also remember to before picking up the paddle:

 Pack water and towels if necessary

 Take extra balls along in case one breaks or gets lost(very easily done in garages!)
 Keep 8 feet of space all around the table clear of traffic or debris
 Make sure the lighting conditions meet practical standards(see if you can reasonably
track the ball in play)-bad lighting can ruin a practice
 And finally-be anxious! Get excited about what you will accomplish, set goals and
work towards them, do anything to make practicing and playing fun. After all, if you
aren't interested in table tennis, you couldn't have read this far.

Guide to Grips
The way one chooses to hold his/her table tennis paddle will make a big difference in
his/her play. There are currently 3 "standard" grips existing in table tennis today. Because
of lack of experience/expertise, this website will cover techniques in shakehands only, but
most strokes will transfer over to the other grips with only a few modifications.
The shakehands grip is the prevalent grip of table tennis today(as of 1998), used by the
majority of recreational and professional players. The paddle is gripped with all fingers, with
the thumb resting by itself on the opposite side as the index finger. The grip is analogous to
shaking a hand at an approximately 45-degree angle. The pinky, ring, and middle finger
wrap around one side of the handle, and the index finger rests on the bottom edge of the
rubber. The thumb rests on the top of the handle on the other side, thumbnail perpendicular
to the wood. It should point in the same direction as the index finger. When held out
straight in front of you, the paddle's edge should form a line with the outstretched arm. The
grip should feel natural, with no particularly uncomfortable areas. Too tight a grip can
sacrifice control and power. Be sure to grab the handle loosely enough so that another
person would have no trouble plucking it from your hand. But at the same time, maintain
enough tightness so the paddle won't fly out of your hand during an intense loop shot.
Some of the advantages of using the shakehands grip are:

 Equally strong forehand and backhand advantage(provided you pay equal attention
to both)
 Wide selection of paddles to choose from

Once a dominant grip in its heyday, the penhold grip still has its supporters, world class
players included. The racket is gripped as one would grip a pen, with the thumb and index
finger, with the rest of the fingers being tucked away on the other side. There are several
variations to this grip, and two types of paddles to reflect this. The "chinese" paddles are
basically shakehands paddles with a shortened handle. The remaining fingers rest against
the other side. "Japanese" paddles have a raised handle, which is called a "hook." The index
finger curls around the "hook" for extra leverage. Which one you use depends on personal
preferences. Penhold paddles typically only have one side covered with a rubber sheet.
This makes them lighter than most shakehands paddles. The other side must still comply
with the paddles rule, so it is usually painted red or black, or covered with a sheet of
colored paper.
Some of the advantages of using the penhold grip are:

 A dominant forehand game(while backhands are possible with this grip, the vast
majority of penhold players rely on their forehand game)-quick feet are required to
sustain this!
 Since it is not as widely used, an element of surprise against opponents unfamiliar
with the grip

The Ready Position/The Importance of Footwork

The typical playing area for table tennis is about 20 feet by 40 feet(the legal dimensions).
The actual table width only occupies 5 feet of the 20. This means in tough matches, the ball
will come in at a variety of angles, some very sharp. Therefore, despite the seemingly
diminutive area the table tennis table covers compared to most sports playing areas/fields,
the ability to move the body around becomes extremely important. But table tennis
footwork also requires precision. The smaller steps that get you in perfect position for that
forehand loop are just as important as the veritable leaps one may make while traversing
the table edge in pursuit of a corner smash. Before attempting anything at the table,
however, the correct stance must be performed.
A ready stance must be kept at all available times during play to ensure maximum control,
power, and consistency. The typical table tennis stance is a slight crouch forward, feet
shoulder-width apart. Make sure you bend your knees and ankles. Most of the weight should
be on the balls of the feet, because this makes quick sudden movements and pivots
necessary for good shots much easier. The upper arm should be close, but not flush, to your
body. The forearm and racket should point forward, which requires that the elbow be bent.
A relaxed posture is important, adjust the stance until most of the tension is gone. Just
make sure you aren't so relaxed that slouching occurs; the idea is to maintain the optimum
position for well-coordinated and explosive movements.
For right-handers, the place to stand is on the backhand half of the table. The right foot
should be slightly to the left of the center line. Try to have the left foot slightly forward.
Stand at an enough distance away from the table so that the tip of your paddle barely
touches the edge of the table. This should mean standing fairly close to the table; the arm
should be close to the body, not outstretched. Also, the body should face the table at a
slight angle, with the right foot and shoulder slightly farther away from the endline than the
left. This allows good positioning for both forehands and backhands.
When the ready position is mastered, the necessary footwork can follow. Remember,
footwork is done primarily to position the player for an optimum shot, one that doesn't have
to be reached for. Therefore any unnecessary movement is a waste of time and energy,
besides allowing your opponent to catch you unawares with a shot opposite your direction of
movement. Most players use a side to side shuffle when moving across the table. Doing so
allows one to face the table at all times, important when the ball is coming in very quickly.
The same principles are used whether moving left or right. The foot in the direction of
movement takes a short step in that direction, and at the same time the weight of the body
shifts to that foot. At the end of the shuffle, the other foot slides to take its place alongside
the foot that moved first.
The timing of the footwork is as important as the actual execution. If done too early, the
opponent will notice and likely fire a shot where you weren't planning on going. Catch it too
late and you will find yourself reaching for the ball, or worse. Pay close attention to the
opponent when he/she is getting ready to hit; prepare yourself and don't start moving until
he/she has started his/her stroke. Follow the ball with your eyes and use the feet to move
to the best shotmaking area relative to where the ball lands. Don't start the stroke until you
have finished moving. After hitting the ball, get back into the ready stance immediately, in
anticipation for a return that could go anywhere. When the action gets fast, all of these
movements and decisions must be made in split seconds. Training will help you get there.

Basic Strokes
For all of the strokes described below, the arm should be very relaxed. Power should be
concentrated on the waist, forearm, and wrist (acting together) like a whip, with the upper
arm moving very little. Almost every shot requires a little movement to get into correct
positioning-in other words, you can't stand still and play table tennis! And always remember
to return to the ready position following each shot.

The Drive
Drives, a light topspin stroke that produces a low ball trajectory, are the primary offensive
strokes in table tennis. One employs drives to force errors and to set up winners. The
mastery of both the forehand and backhand drives is important because it will give your
opponent less options when using attacking strokes of his/her own. In executing this and all
other offensive strokes, the usage of the entire body in unison is important for consistency
and power. Keep in the ready position until you are ready to execute the shot and remain
relaxed but responsive(this is very important).
FOREHAND DRIVE: Keep the upper arm close, but not flush, to the torso. The forearm(form
a rough 90 degree bend with the upper arm) should be drawn back to the 3 o'clock position,
and let the waist turn naturally along with the arm(this is where relaxing is important). Shift
your weight toward the right foot at the same time. While shifting your weight back to your
left foot, swing forward with a slight upward motion, with the waist providing additional
force in the swing. Use the elbow as a pivot point; it should not move so much up and
down, but also should be allowed to move slightly forward in the follow-through. Contact
with the ball should be made slightly to the side of the body after the top of the bounce.
Make sure the paddle is somewhat closed(or facing downwards at an angle), and remains
that way throughout the stroke. Follow-through should finish when racket is parallel with
the left shoulder. Immediately return to the ready position. The left foot should be slightly in
front of the right for support.
BACKHAND DRIVE: From the ready position, the waist turns left with the racket pointing
towards the 9 o'clock position. When following through, contact with the ball is made in
front of the body, slightly after the top of the bounce. Let the elbow again act as the pivot
point, and snap the forearm forward in a slightly upward direction. Make sure the paddle is
closed. Follow-through should finish naturally(about 12~1 o'clock) after contact with ball.
The left foot should be slightly ahead of the right.
Note : Be sure to contact the top half of the ball when hitting topspin drives.

The Push
Pushes are the basic backspin shots, used to change the pace of an exchange or to return
certain very low and close shots such as backspin serves. A generally defensive shot, it
allows placement anywhere on the table that is difficult to attack when executed properly.
All pushes should be done with the right foot stepping in. The ball is contacted right after
the bounce with an open racket. How open the racket is depends on the intensity of
backspin on the ball. Heavier backspin requires a more open racket to return over the net.
Try to keep the ball low, varying the amount of backspin and racket angle.
FOREHAND PUSH: Bring the racket slightly up and back, while keeping the elbow at your
waist. Bend the wrist back. Swing forward with a downward motion, and when the racket
reaches the ball snap the wrist forward for extra racket speed. With an open racket, graze
the bottom half of the ball. An ideal contact point is right after the ball bounces. Never push
a ball at the top of the bounce, because the resulting return will pop the ball high enough
for the opponent to execute a smash. Try to hit the ball in front and slightly to the right of
your body. Follow through forward and slightly down, and return to the ready position.
BACKHAND PUSH: Bring the racket slightly up and back, close into your stomach while
cocking the wrist back. This time try to contact the ball directly in front of your body, and
remember to keep the elbow still while the forearm and wrist move forward and down.
Graze the bottom of the ball and follow through.
Note : Keep the push stroke gentle, as being too hasty often makes the ball go long, or too
high. Keep in mind that unlike the drive, the push is more of a finesse and 'touch' shot. As
you advance the stokes can start becoming more aggressive, with a variety of spins.

The Block
Blocking allows a player to use the opponent's force against him/her, and is done
immediately after the bounce so that maximum control and speed are retained. Adjusting
the racket angle depends on the severity of topspin on the ball; the more topspin there is,
the more you should close the racket. Being essentially a cut-down drive, there is very little
backswing and follow-through. Think of blocking as a backup shot that can be used when
there isn't enough time for a full drive or loop. Depending on how much control you have
over the block, it can be used offensively as well. Use your wrist to vary the direction of
these block-returns, and make sure footwork takes you to the most choice areas to hit in.

The Smash
The smash, or kill, is the put-away stroke of table tennis. Any ball that is high enough and
close enough to the opponent's side can be smashed, although some opportunities are
better than others. Smashing combines waist, forearm, and wrist movement to the fullest
extent. A good smash is very hard to return, but it can be done. Do not dawdle after you
have executed a smash. The ball is contacted at the top of the bounce at its highest point.
FOREHAND SMASH: Similar to the drive, the key differences include:

 A longer backswing
 Greater weight transfer during swing
 Faster, more intense snapping of the forearm when contacting ball
 Depending on ball height and position, the racket is closed more than usual to keep
the ball in the court
 Longer follow-through, but don't forget to anticipate a possible return!

BACKHAND SMASH: Again, use the guidelines above and apply them to the backhand drive.
Be sure to snap the wrist more as you contact the ball and finish in a long follow-through.
Note on smashes: Don't just indiscriminately smash the ball when you find the opening;
instead, try to direct the ball to a location where it is least likely to be hit back, accidentally
or intentionally.

Basic Service Techniques

The following are the basic rules of service:

1. The ball must be held above the table level in order for the opponent and umpire to
see it.
2. The ball must be held in the palm of the hand with fingers stretched, and tossed
vertically at least six inches.
3. The ball must be struck only on the way down.
4. The ball must be struck behind the end line.

Serves are entirely up to the player; there are no specific serves that must be used by
everybody. But to begin with, there are some basic serves that should be experimented
with. Imparting spin on these serves should be concentrated mostly on the wrist.
Backspin- just like pushing or chopping, a backspin serve is executed with an open racket
slicing the bottom of the ball.
Topspin- like driving, topspin serves can be done hitting with a flat racket, or like looping,
where the player grazes the top of the ball with a closed racket for more spin.
Sidespin- simply hit the back of the ball in a left-to-right or right-to-left motion, as desired.
To make the stroke easier, try holding the racket in front of you and brushing the bottom of
the ball in a pendulum motion.
Notes on serves: Be sure to assume the ready position as soon as you finish your service
motion. Keep the ball as low as possible to prevent an early attack by the opponent.
Experiment with all the spins; mix up your serves during games. The spins are not the only
thing that should be varied. Practice placing the ball in different depths and in different
directions. Unlike doubles, a singles serve can go anywhere on the opponent's court. The
advantage to service is the uncertainty faced by the returner. Be as inconspicuous as
possible.